Destruction of tissues is a feature of diseases affecting many organ types and represents an increasing problem to the population with particular emphasis on the aging. Many of these diseases have an element of chronic inflammation. Examples of such diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, artheriosclerosis, chronic lung diseases, tendinitis, spine problems with lower back pain and intervertebral disc hernia. These diseases encompass by far the largest expenditure among major disease categories for society and suffering for individuals.
Arthritis is a common name for several inflammatory joint diseases. Joint diseases are extremely common in the population. While rheumatoid arthritis sufferers represent some 1%, osteoarthritis is much more common with an incidence of at least some 10%. Major features of the two disease entities are progressive destruction of joint structures as well as inflammation causing pain and disability.
At present, the symptoms of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis can for some patients be alleviated by medical treatment, e.g. anti-inflammatory agents including corticosteroids, physiotherapy or surgery. More recent use of inhibitors of cytokines, particularly TNF-α has improved the situation for two-thirds of the patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis. However, many patients do not effectively respond to the above-mentioned treatments or the treatments lead to a number of undesired side-effects (see e.g. Smolen & Steiner, Nature Reviews, Vol. 2, (2003), 473-488)
It is known in the art that chondroadherin (CHAD) conjugated with additional compounds has an effect on tissue changes (WO0137861) and it has also been shown that collagen II in combination with chondroadherin (WO03049669) could be used for treating intervertebral discs. The present invention shows to our surprise that chondroadherin and fragments thereof as pure compounds have a desired effect in removing and/or inhibit parameters related to tissue damaging diseases.
There is a need for new approaches with respect to treatment of diseases associated with tissue changes, especially with a view to the efficiency of the treatment and to reduction of side-effects.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.